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Joao H.c. Costa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • A Narrative Review on the Unexplored Potential of Colostrum as a Preventative Treatment and Therapy for Diarrhea in Neonatal Dairy Calves
    'MDPI AG', 2021
    Co-Authors: Havelah S. M. Carter, David L. Renaud, Michael A. Steele, Amanda J. Fischer-tlustos, Joao H.c. Costa
    Abstract:

    Diarrhea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pre-weaned Dairy Calves and, as such, represents a significant animal health and welfare concern. Furthermore, digestive disease early in life is associated with several long-term consequences such as reduced growth rate and decreased milk yield during the first lactation, thus generating severe economic losses. The majority of diarrheic cases in young Calves are treated with antimicrobials; however, it is necessary to develop alternative treatments, as excessive antimicrobial usage can lead to antimicrobial resistance and can negatively impact the gut microflora of a calf. Bovine colostrum is abundant in immune and bioactive factors that improve immune function and development. This rich and natural combination of immunoglobulins, natural antimicrobial factors, growth factors, anti-inflammatories and nutrients may be an attractive alternative to antimicrobials in the treatment of diarrhea in young Dairy Calves. There is evidence that supports the use of colostrum as an early treatment for diarrhea in young Calves. Future research should investigate its therapeutic and economic effectiveness

  • use of a food neophobia test to characterize personality traits of Dairy Calves
    Scientific Reports, 2020
    Co-Authors: Joao H.c. Costa, Daniel M. Weary, Heather W Neave, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk
    Abstract:

    Food neophobia, i.e. the avoidance of novel foods, is common in ruminants and may provide a biologically relevant and practical way to test individual responses to novelty or challenge. We aimed to determine if behavioural responses in a food neophobia test (exposure to a novel total mixed ration) reflected boldness and exploratory personality traits derived from 3 traditional tests (open field, novel human and novel object) in Dairy Calves. We performed two Principal Component Analyses, one using behaviours from 3 traditional tests (3 factors: 'Bold', 'Exploratory' and 'Active'), and one using behaviours from the food neophobia test (3 factors: 'Eating', 'Inspecting', and 'Avoidance'). A regression analysis determined if individual factor scores from the food neophobia test predicted factor scores from the traditional tests. Contrary to our expectations, 'Avoidance' (latencies to approach and eat the novel food) did not predict boldness trait, and the factors 'Inspecting' (time spent inspecting food and empty buckets) and 'Eating' (time spent eating food and total intake) did not predict exploration trait, but they did predict active trait. These results suggest that the food neophobia test in our study resulted in context-specific behaviours, or that behavioural responses to a novel food present different underlying personality traits. The application of food neophobia to assess specific or generalized personality traits of Dairy Calves deserves further work.

  • Using an implantable microchip for measuring body temperature in Dairy Calves
    Murray State\u27s Digital Commons, 2018
    Co-Authors: Woodrum, Megan Marie, Joao H.c. Costa, Cantor Melissa
    Abstract:

    Using an implantable microchip for measuring body temperature in Dairy Calves M.M. Woodrum1 and J.H.C. Costa1 *Presenting author 1Dairy Science Program, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Rectal temperature is commonly used to measure the fever response accompanying illness, but is a labor intensive procedure. The objective of this study was to validate a location site for a passive temperature reading microchip against a rectal thermometer temperature in pre-weaned Dairy Calves. Before calf enrollment, a water bath study validated temperature readings between and within microchips against rectal thermometer readings. Holstein bull-Calves (n=12) were implanted with passive radio frequency identification (RFID) microchips in three locations: subcutaneously behind the ear (EAR), subcutaneously by the upper scapula (SCAP), and intramuscularly in the trapezius muscle (NECK). One week after implantation, microchip temperature readings were recorded using a RFID reader hourly for 24 hours; a tympanic and rectal temperature were simultaneously taken. Pearson correlations between the microchip readings, the rectal, and the tympanic temperatures were performed. For the water bath, microchips readings were strongly correlated against the rectal thermometer (r = 0.963; P \u3c 0.001). For the observational study, rectal temperature had negligible correlations to tympanic, EAR, NECK, and SCAP with the highest correlation between rectal and tympanic temperature (median r = 0.19; P ≤ 0.81). The correlations between the microchips SCAP vs NECK (median [Q1, Q3] r = 0.75 [0.60 – 0.84]; P \u3c 0.02) and EAR vs NECK (r = 0.78 [0.73 – 0.84]; P \u3c 0.003) were high. SCAP vs EAR were moderately correlated (r = 0.58 [0.45 – 0.73]; P \u3c 0.44). These results suggest that an implantable microchip temperature readings are related independent of location, but not highly correlated with rectal temperature. Further research should investigate the implantable temperature reading microchip in large herd settings

  • complex social housing reduces food neophobia in Dairy Calves
    Journal of Dairy Science, 2014
    Co-Authors: Joao H.c. Costa, Rolnei R Daros, M A G Von Keyserlingk, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Animals are often reluctant to consume novel feeds. Research suggests that social housing can reduce fearfulness in animals. The aim of this study was to test the prediction that social housing reduces food neophobia in Dairy Calves. Beginning immediately at birth, Holstein bull Calves were either reared individually (n = 18) or in a complex social group with other Calves and cows (n = 18). In food neophobia tests, Calves were exposed to 2 identical buckets, one empty and the other filled with a novel food (chopped hay in trial 1 and chopped carrots in trial 2). Calves were tested for 30 min/d on 3 consecutive days starting at 70 d of age. Regardless of the type of food, socially housed Calves consumed more of the novel feed compared with individually housed Calves. In trial 1, intake of hay as fed averaged 35 ± 6 versus 18 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed Calves. In trial 2, intake of chopped carrots as fed averaged 27 ± 6 versus 6 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed Calves, respectively. Social rearing decreased the latency to eat the novel feed. Calves housed in a complex social group began eating the hay after 1:23 ± 1:13 versus 3:58 ± 1:10 min:s for individually housed Calves. Latency to begin eating the chopped carrots averaged 3:09 ± 1:17 versus 6:38 ± 1:13 min:s for socially versus individually housed Calves. Treatment had no effect on time spent eating, latency to approach the food bucket or the empty bucket in either trial, or on time spent manipulating the empty bucket. These results indicate that housing Dairy Calves in a complex social group reduces food neophobia. More generally, this study contributes to a series of studies showing that Calves raised in more complex social environments may be better able to transition to other changes in their environment.

  • pain and pessimism Dairy Calves exhibit negative judgement bias following hot iron disbudding
    PLOS ONE, 2013
    Co-Authors: Heather W Neave, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Joao H.c. Costa, Rolnei R Daros, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, but emotional states are difficult to directly assess in animals. Researchers have assessed pain using behavioural and physiological measures, but these approaches are limited to understanding the arousal rather than valence of the emotional experience. Cognitive bias tasks show that depressed humans judge ambiguous events negatively and this technique has been applied to assess emotional states in animals. However, limited research has examined how pain states affect cognitive processes in animals. Here we present the first evidence of cognitive bias in response to pain in any non-human species. In two experiments, Dairy Calves (n=17) were trained to respond differentially to red and white video screens and then tested with unreinforced ambiguous colours in two or three test sessions before and two sessions after the routine practice of hot-iron disbudding. After disbudding Calves were more likely to judge ambiguous colours as negative. This ‘pessimistic’ bias indicates that post-operative pain following hot-iron disbudding results in a negative change in emotional state.

Daniel M. Weary - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • social approach and place aversion in relation to conspecific pain in Dairy Calves
    PLOS ONE, 2020
    Co-Authors: Thomas Ede, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Despite scientific interest in animal empathy, and growing public concern for farm animal welfare, the empathic abilities of farm animals remain under researched. In this study, we investigated empathic responses of young Holstein Dairy Calves to conspecifics recovering from hot-iron disbudding, a painful procedure common on Dairy farms. A combination of social approach and place conditioning was used. First, ‘observer’ Calves witnessed two ‘demonstrator’ Calves recover from either a painful procedure (hot-iron disbudding and sedation) or a sham procedure (sedation alone) in distinct pens. Observer Calves spent more time in proximity and paid more attention to Calves recovering from the painful procedure compared to sham Calves (proximity: 59.6 ± 4.3%; attention: 54.3 ± 1.5%). Observers were then tested for conditioned place aversion (in the absence of demonstrators) at 48h, 72h and 96h after the second demonstration; observers tended to avoid the pen associated with conspecific pain during the second of the three tests, spending 34.8 ± 9.6% of their time in this pen. No strong evidence of pain empathy was found, but our tentative results encourage further research on empathy in animals.

  • use of a food neophobia test to characterize personality traits of Dairy Calves
    Scientific Reports, 2020
    Co-Authors: Joao H.c. Costa, Daniel M. Weary, Heather W Neave, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk
    Abstract:

    Food neophobia, i.e. the avoidance of novel foods, is common in ruminants and may provide a biologically relevant and practical way to test individual responses to novelty or challenge. We aimed to determine if behavioural responses in a food neophobia test (exposure to a novel total mixed ration) reflected boldness and exploratory personality traits derived from 3 traditional tests (open field, novel human and novel object) in Dairy Calves. We performed two Principal Component Analyses, one using behaviours from 3 traditional tests (3 factors: 'Bold', 'Exploratory' and 'Active'), and one using behaviours from the food neophobia test (3 factors: 'Eating', 'Inspecting', and 'Avoidance'). A regression analysis determined if individual factor scores from the food neophobia test predicted factor scores from the traditional tests. Contrary to our expectations, 'Avoidance' (latencies to approach and eat the novel food) did not predict boldness trait, and the factors 'Inspecting' (time spent inspecting food and empty buckets) and 'Eating' (time spent eating food and total intake) did not predict exploration trait, but they did predict active trait. These results suggest that the food neophobia test in our study resulted in context-specific behaviours, or that behavioural responses to a novel food present different underlying personality traits. The application of food neophobia to assess specific or generalized personality traits of Dairy Calves deserves further work.

  • Pessimism and fearfulness in Dairy Calves.
    Scientific reports, 2018
    Co-Authors: Benjamin Lecorps, Daniel M. Weary, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk
    Abstract:

    Animals that experience situations likely to induce negative emotions show changes in judgment associated with pessimism. Few studies have focused on whether animals express stable differences in pessimism and whether these differences are related to personality traits. The first aim of this study was to explore if Dairy Calves are consistent over time in making judgments under ambiguous situations. Our second aim was to determine whether individual differences in judgment bias are related to conventional personality traits assessed using four standardized tests (Open field, Novel object, Human reactivity and Social motivation test). We subjected animals to two sessions of judgment bias and personality trait tests at 25 and 50 d of age. Individual differences in judgment bias were consistent over time with some animals persistently making more pessimistic choices compared to others. Two main dimensions of personality (Fearfulness and Sociability), obtained through principal component analysis, were also highly consistent over time. Pessimism was related to fearfulness, with more fearful Calves making more pessimistic judgments. We conclude that Dairy Calves differ in the way they perceive and react to ambiguity and that this relates to individual differences in fearfulness.

  • inconsistency in Dairy Calves responses to tests of fearfulness
    Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2016
    Co-Authors: Rebecca K Meagher, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Dax Atkinson, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Fear is an important welfare problem for farm animals, including cattle. A variety of methods of assessing fear have been proposed, but the reliability and validity of these methods, and ways of improving these characteristics, have received little study. We conducted a series of experiments to assess the consistency of Dairy Calves’ responses of novel objects and to humans, and to investigate factors that might improve reliability. In the first experiment, latency to touch a novel object had moderate reliability (rs = 0.54), and latency to touch a stationary, familiar human had negligible reliability (rs = 0.26). Experiment 2a used the same test protocols, but with a shorter interval between repeat testing and using different stimuli in the two novel object tests; this change did not improve reliability (e.g. rs = 0.29 for the novel-object test). Reliability for this test was improved (rs = 0.58) in Experiment 2b, when the same object was used in both tests rather than a truly novel object being used the second time. Experiment 2a found ceiling effects in the response to human test associated with the short period during which approach responses were recorded. High reliability was found in Experiment 2b, where the maximum test duration was doubled, but this effect not due to the extended duration. Experiment 3 assessed reliability of a response to human approach at the farm rather than individual level, in this case assessing responses to an unfamiliar person. The proportion of Calves making contact with the person was not reliable (rs = 0.22), but the proportion retreating from the person had moderate reliability (rs = 0.52). Reliability was improved by excluding data from Calves that had coughs on the day of testing. Conducting multiple tests per individual using different stimuli and reporting health status of the animals are recommended for future research and animal welfare assessment schemes that include measures of fear.

  • complex social housing reduces food neophobia in Dairy Calves
    Journal of Dairy Science, 2014
    Co-Authors: Joao H.c. Costa, Rolnei R Daros, M A G Von Keyserlingk, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Animals are often reluctant to consume novel feeds. Research suggests that social housing can reduce fearfulness in animals. The aim of this study was to test the prediction that social housing reduces food neophobia in Dairy Calves. Beginning immediately at birth, Holstein bull Calves were either reared individually (n = 18) or in a complex social group with other Calves and cows (n = 18). In food neophobia tests, Calves were exposed to 2 identical buckets, one empty and the other filled with a novel food (chopped hay in trial 1 and chopped carrots in trial 2). Calves were tested for 30 min/d on 3 consecutive days starting at 70 d of age. Regardless of the type of food, socially housed Calves consumed more of the novel feed compared with individually housed Calves. In trial 1, intake of hay as fed averaged 35 ± 6 versus 18 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed Calves. In trial 2, intake of chopped carrots as fed averaged 27 ± 6 versus 6 ± 6 g/d for socially versus individually housed Calves, respectively. Social rearing decreased the latency to eat the novel feed. Calves housed in a complex social group began eating the hay after 1:23 ± 1:13 versus 3:58 ± 1:10 min:s for individually housed Calves. Latency to begin eating the chopped carrots averaged 3:09 ± 1:17 versus 6:38 ± 1:13 min:s for socially versus individually housed Calves. Treatment had no effect on time spent eating, latency to approach the food bucket or the empty bucket in either trial, or on time spent manipulating the empty bucket. These results indicate that housing Dairy Calves in a complex social group reduces food neophobia. More generally, this study contributes to a series of studies showing that Calves raised in more complex social environments may be better able to transition to other changes in their environment.

John D Champagne - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • a novel risk assessment tool for bovine respiratory disease in preweaned Dairy Calves
    Journal of Dairy Science, 2020
    Co-Authors: Gabriele Maier, Terry W Lehenbauer, Joan D Rowe, Betsy M Karle, Deniece R Williams, John D Champagne, W J Love, S A Dubrovsky, Randall J Anderson, A L Van Eenennaam
    Abstract:

    Due to the increased morbidity and mortality of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in Dairy Calves, as well as an increasing urgency for the judicious use of antimicrobials in farm animals, a comprehensive risk assessment tool for BRD in preweaned Dairy Calves has been designed based on a longitudinal and a cross-sectional study. As a multifactorial disease complex in which immune function stressors increase susceptibility to respiratory pathology, risk management programs for environmental and husbandry practices may be an effective approach for BRD control. Practices of known or suspected effect on BRD in preweaned Calves have been explored in 2 large studies correlating management factors to BRD prevalence (BRD 100 study) and incidence (BRD 10K study) and forming the scores presented here. Priority was given to results from multivariable over univariable model estimates. However, when used, univariable model estimates were adjusted for confounders or stratified by effect modifiers if necessary. Regression coefficients were translated into scores, which are presented in a field-ready tool consisting of (1) a risk assessment questionnaire, which identifies the herd-specific risk factors and the risk scores associated with each; (2) the California BRD scoring system to estimate the BRD prevalence at the time of risk assessment for future comparison with the prevalence after interventions; and (3) the BRD control and prevention herd management plan, which can be used to plan and track the interventions identified. Scores for 100 dairies across California were used to benchmark a Dairy's risk on a spectrum. With the help of the risk assessment tool, Dairy producers, calf managers, and veterinarians may be able to adjust management factors that affect BRD risk on a farm and objectively monitor BRD prevalence before and after management interventions. As a result, the BRD risk assessment tool described here is the first comprehensive effort for herd-specific BRD control and prevention.

  • development of a clinical scoring system for bovine respiratory disease in weaned Dairy Calves
    Journal of Dairy Science, 2019
    Co-Authors: Gabriele U Maier, Terry W Lehenbauer, Joan D Rowe, Betsy M Karle, Deniece R Williams, John D Champagne
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACT Clinical scoring systems for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in weaned Dairy Calves have been developed in the past with Calves experimentally infected with specific respiratory pathogens. In this prevalent case control study, a BRD clinical scoring system for weaned Calves was developed using field data from 689 Dairy Calves housed in group pens on 5 dairies in California. Of the 689 Calves in the study, 89 were selected because they appeared sick based on the display of lethargy, depression, or separation from the group, whereas the remaining 600 were randomly selected. Clinical signs were recorded for all Calves, and BRD case status was determined by thoracic auscultation and ultrasound examinations, which were interpreted in parallel. Of the 689 Calves, 238 were identified as BRD cases. Five survey-adjusted generalized linear mixed models with a logit link function, calf as the unit of analysis, and Dairy as a random intercept were assessed using 3-fold cross-validation. The best model chosen based on performance and parsimony contained the variables cough (2 points), abnormal respiration (1 point), low body condition (5 points), sunken eyes (4 points), and a 24-h ambient temperature range >15°C (1 point) with a 2-point cutoff for a BRD suspect score. An alternative model did not contain a score for the covariate 24-h ambient temperature range and had a 1-point cutoff. The best model was tested on 174 observations not used for model training and resulted in 77.0% screening sensitivity, 100% diagnostic sensitivity, and 61.9% specificity. Adding rectal temperature ≥39.2°C (102.5°F) as a second-tier test increased specificity to 76.7% and lowered the screening sensitivity to 64.8% and diagnostic sensitivity to 76.9%. The alternative model had a screening sensitivity of 84.2%, diagnostic sensitivity of 100%, and specificity of 45.7%. Adding rectal temperature ≥39.2°C (102.5°F) as a second-tier test for score-positive animals improved specificity of the alternative model to 62.6% while lowering its screening sensitivity to 70.5% and diagnostic sensitivity to 76.9%. Use of a 2-tier California BRD postweaning scoring system may provide producers and veterinarians with a new tool to monitor BRD in group-housed Dairy Calves. Furthermore, the scoring system may aid in judicious medical intervention for BRD cases and reduce unnecessary treatments of animals with antimicrobials.

  • agreement among 4 sampling methods to identify respiratory pathogens in Dairy Calves with acute bovine respiratory disease
    Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: D Doyle, Terry W Lehenbauer, John D Champagne, Brent C Credille, Roy D Berghaus, Patricia C Blanchard, Beate M Crossley, Londa J Berghaus, S Cochran, Amelia R Woolums
    Abstract:

    Author(s): Doyle, D; Credille, B; Lehenbauer, TW; Berghaus, R; Aly, SS; Champagne, J; Blanchard, P; Crossley, B; Berghaus, L; Cochran, S; Woolums, A | Abstract: Four sampling techniques commonly are used for antemortem identification of pathogens from cattle with bovine respiratory disease (BRD): the nasal swab (NS), guarded nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and transtracheal wash (TTW). Agreement among these methods has not been well characterized.To evaluate agreement among TTW and NS, NPS, or BAL for identification of viral and bacterial pathogens in Dairy Calves with BRD.One hundred Dairy Calves with naturally acquired BRD.Calves were sampled by all 4 methods. Viral agents were identified by real-time RT-PCR, bacteria were identified by aerobic culture, and Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) isolates were speciated by PCR. Agreement among TTW and NS, NPS, or BAL was evaluated by calculating the kappa statistic and percent positive agreement. McNemar's exact test was used to compare the proportions of positive results.Agreement among TTW and NS, TTW and NPS, and TTW and BAL, was very good for identification of P. multocida, M. haemolytica, and M. bovis. For bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), agreement with TTW was moderate for NS, good for NPS, and very good for BAL. For bovine coronavirus (BCV), agreement with TTW was moderate for NS and NPS, and good for BAL. McNemar's test was significant only for BCV, indicating that for this pathogen the proportion of positive results from NS and NPS could not be considered comparable to TTW.This study provides guidance for veterinarians selecting diagnostic tests for antemortem identification of pathogens associated with BRD.

Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • social approach and place aversion in relation to conspecific pain in Dairy Calves
    PLOS ONE, 2020
    Co-Authors: Thomas Ede, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Despite scientific interest in animal empathy, and growing public concern for farm animal welfare, the empathic abilities of farm animals remain under researched. In this study, we investigated empathic responses of young Holstein Dairy Calves to conspecifics recovering from hot-iron disbudding, a painful procedure common on Dairy farms. A combination of social approach and place conditioning was used. First, ‘observer’ Calves witnessed two ‘demonstrator’ Calves recover from either a painful procedure (hot-iron disbudding and sedation) or a sham procedure (sedation alone) in distinct pens. Observer Calves spent more time in proximity and paid more attention to Calves recovering from the painful procedure compared to sham Calves (proximity: 59.6 ± 4.3%; attention: 54.3 ± 1.5%). Observers were then tested for conditioned place aversion (in the absence of demonstrators) at 48h, 72h and 96h after the second demonstration; observers tended to avoid the pen associated with conspecific pain during the second of the three tests, spending 34.8 ± 9.6% of their time in this pen. No strong evidence of pain empathy was found, but our tentative results encourage further research on empathy in animals.

  • use of a food neophobia test to characterize personality traits of Dairy Calves
    Scientific Reports, 2020
    Co-Authors: Joao H.c. Costa, Daniel M. Weary, Heather W Neave, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk
    Abstract:

    Food neophobia, i.e. the avoidance of novel foods, is common in ruminants and may provide a biologically relevant and practical way to test individual responses to novelty or challenge. We aimed to determine if behavioural responses in a food neophobia test (exposure to a novel total mixed ration) reflected boldness and exploratory personality traits derived from 3 traditional tests (open field, novel human and novel object) in Dairy Calves. We performed two Principal Component Analyses, one using behaviours from 3 traditional tests (3 factors: 'Bold', 'Exploratory' and 'Active'), and one using behaviours from the food neophobia test (3 factors: 'Eating', 'Inspecting', and 'Avoidance'). A regression analysis determined if individual factor scores from the food neophobia test predicted factor scores from the traditional tests. Contrary to our expectations, 'Avoidance' (latencies to approach and eat the novel food) did not predict boldness trait, and the factors 'Inspecting' (time spent inspecting food and empty buckets) and 'Eating' (time spent eating food and total intake) did not predict exploration trait, but they did predict active trait. These results suggest that the food neophobia test in our study resulted in context-specific behaviours, or that behavioural responses to a novel food present different underlying personality traits. The application of food neophobia to assess specific or generalized personality traits of Dairy Calves deserves further work.

  • Pessimism and fearfulness in Dairy Calves.
    Scientific reports, 2018
    Co-Authors: Benjamin Lecorps, Daniel M. Weary, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk
    Abstract:

    Animals that experience situations likely to induce negative emotions show changes in judgment associated with pessimism. Few studies have focused on whether animals express stable differences in pessimism and whether these differences are related to personality traits. The first aim of this study was to explore if Dairy Calves are consistent over time in making judgments under ambiguous situations. Our second aim was to determine whether individual differences in judgment bias are related to conventional personality traits assessed using four standardized tests (Open field, Novel object, Human reactivity and Social motivation test). We subjected animals to two sessions of judgment bias and personality trait tests at 25 and 50 d of age. Individual differences in judgment bias were consistent over time with some animals persistently making more pessimistic choices compared to others. Two main dimensions of personality (Fearfulness and Sociability), obtained through principal component analysis, were also highly consistent over time. Pessimism was related to fearfulness, with more fearful Calves making more pessimistic judgments. We conclude that Dairy Calves differ in the way they perceive and react to ambiguity and that this relates to individual differences in fearfulness.

  • inconsistency in Dairy Calves responses to tests of fearfulness
    Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2016
    Co-Authors: Rebecca K Meagher, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Dax Atkinson, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Fear is an important welfare problem for farm animals, including cattle. A variety of methods of assessing fear have been proposed, but the reliability and validity of these methods, and ways of improving these characteristics, have received little study. We conducted a series of experiments to assess the consistency of Dairy Calves’ responses of novel objects and to humans, and to investigate factors that might improve reliability. In the first experiment, latency to touch a novel object had moderate reliability (rs = 0.54), and latency to touch a stationary, familiar human had negligible reliability (rs = 0.26). Experiment 2a used the same test protocols, but with a shorter interval between repeat testing and using different stimuli in the two novel object tests; this change did not improve reliability (e.g. rs = 0.29 for the novel-object test). Reliability for this test was improved (rs = 0.58) in Experiment 2b, when the same object was used in both tests rather than a truly novel object being used the second time. Experiment 2a found ceiling effects in the response to human test associated with the short period during which approach responses were recorded. High reliability was found in Experiment 2b, where the maximum test duration was doubled, but this effect not due to the extended duration. Experiment 3 assessed reliability of a response to human approach at the farm rather than individual level, in this case assessing responses to an unfamiliar person. The proportion of Calves making contact with the person was not reliable (rs = 0.22), but the proportion retreating from the person had moderate reliability (rs = 0.52). Reliability was improved by excluding data from Calves that had coughs on the day of testing. Conducting multiple tests per individual using different stimuli and reporting health status of the animals are recommended for future research and animal welfare assessment schemes that include measures of fear.

  • social housing improves Dairy Calves performance in two cognitive tests
    PLOS ONE, 2014
    Co-Authors: Charlotte Gaillard, Marina A. G. Von Keyserlingk, Rebecca K Meagher, Daniel M. Weary
    Abstract:

    Early social housing is known to benefit cognitive development in laboratory animals. Pre-weaned Dairy Calves are typically separated from their dam immediately after birth and housed alone, but no work to date has addressed the effect of individual housing on cognitive performance of these animals. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of individual versus social housing on two measures of cognitive performance: reversal learning and novel object recognition. Holstein Calves were either housed individually in a standard calf pen (n = 8) or kept in pairs using a double pen (n = 10). Calves were tested twice daily in a Y-maze starting at 3 weeks of age. Calves were initially trained to discriminate two colours (black and white) until they reached a learning criterion of 80% correct over three consecutive sessions. Training stimuli were then reversed (i.e. the previously rewarded colour was now unrewarded, and vice-versa). Calves from the two treatments showed similar rates of learning in the initial discrimination task, but the individually housed Calves showed poorer performance in the reversal task. At 7 weeks of age, Calves were tested for their response to a novel object in eight tests over a two-day period. Pair-housed Calves showed declining exploration with repeated testing but individually reared Calves did not. The results of these experiments provide the first direct evidence that individual housing impairs cognitive performance in Dairy Calves.

Amelia R Woolums - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effects of injectable trace minerals administered concurrently with a modified live virus vaccine on long term protection against bovine viral diarrhea virus acute infection in Dairy Calves
    Research in Veterinary Science, 2018
    Co-Authors: J H J Bittar, Amelia R Woolums, David J Hurley, L J Havenga, Alejandro Hoyosjaramillo, Jeferson M Lourenco, G Barnett, Viviani Gomes, Jeremiah T Saliki, D D Harmon
    Abstract:

    Abstract The objective was to evaluate the effects of injectable trace minerals (ITM) concurrent with modified-live virus (MLV) vaccination on protection from bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection in Dairy Calves. In a previous study (Palomares et al., 2016), thirty Dairy Calves received two doses of a MLV vaccine subcutaneously (SC), concurrently with ITM (n = 15) or saline (n = 15), SC. Five months later, 20 of these Calves received ITM (G1, n = 10) or saline (G2, n = 10) according to their previous groups and were challenged intranasally with BVDV2. Five unvaccinated Calves were also challenged with BVDV2 (G3). Blood samples were collected on days 0 (BVDV challenge), 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 18, 21, 32 and 61 for leukocyte count, virus isolation and BVDV serum neutralizing antibodies (SNA). Mild-moderate clinical signs were observed in G3 after BVDV challenge. Group 1 showed lower sum health score and nasal score on d5 and fecal score on d8 compared to G2. Rectal temperature and leukocyte counts were not different between G1 and G2. In contrast, G3 Calves had significant leukopenia and lymphopenia from d3 to d7 (P

  • effects of injectable trace minerals on the immune response to mannheimia haemolytica and pasteurella multocida following vaccination of Dairy Calves with a commercial attenuated live bacterin vaccine
    The Professional Animal Scientist, 2018
    Co-Authors: J H J Bittar, Amelia R Woolums, David J Hurley, Natalie Norton, C E Barber, F Moliere, L J Havenga, Roberto A Palomares
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effects of an injectable trace mineral (ITM) supplement containing Zn, Mn, Se, and Cu on the humoral and cell mediated immune responses to vaccine antigens in Dairy Calves receiving an attenuated-live bacterin vaccine containing Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida. Thirty 3-mo-old Dairy Calves received 2 doses (21 d apart) of an attenuated-live M. haemolytica and P. multocida bacterin vaccine (Once PMH, Merck Animal Health, Summit, NJ), and a 5-way modified-live-virus vaccine (Express 5, Boehringer Ingelheim, Vetmedica, St. Joseph, MO). On the day of primary vaccination, animals were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 treatment groups (n = 15 per group): ITM (ITM administration) or control (sterile saline injection). Treatments were administered concurrently with vaccinations. Blood samples were collected for determination of antibody titers against M. haemolytica and P. multocida and of antigen-induced proliferation and interferon-γ secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Serum Se and Mn concentrations were greater (P 0.05) between groups. The use of ITM with bovine respiratory disease vaccines enhanced (P

  • agreement among 4 sampling methods to identify respiratory pathogens in Dairy Calves with acute bovine respiratory disease
    Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: D Doyle, Terry W Lehenbauer, John D Champagne, Brent C Credille, Roy D Berghaus, Patricia C Blanchard, Beate M Crossley, Londa J Berghaus, S Cochran, Amelia R Woolums
    Abstract:

    Author(s): Doyle, D; Credille, B; Lehenbauer, TW; Berghaus, R; Aly, SS; Champagne, J; Blanchard, P; Crossley, B; Berghaus, L; Cochran, S; Woolums, A | Abstract: Four sampling techniques commonly are used for antemortem identification of pathogens from cattle with bovine respiratory disease (BRD): the nasal swab (NS), guarded nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and transtracheal wash (TTW). Agreement among these methods has not been well characterized.To evaluate agreement among TTW and NS, NPS, or BAL for identification of viral and bacterial pathogens in Dairy Calves with BRD.One hundred Dairy Calves with naturally acquired BRD.Calves were sampled by all 4 methods. Viral agents were identified by real-time RT-PCR, bacteria were identified by aerobic culture, and Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) isolates were speciated by PCR. Agreement among TTW and NS, NPS, or BAL was evaluated by calculating the kappa statistic and percent positive agreement. McNemar's exact test was used to compare the proportions of positive results.Agreement among TTW and NS, TTW and NPS, and TTW and BAL, was very good for identification of P. multocida, M. haemolytica, and M. bovis. For bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), agreement with TTW was moderate for NS, good for NPS, and very good for BAL. For bovine coronavirus (BCV), agreement with TTW was moderate for NS and NPS, and good for BAL. McNemar's test was significant only for BCV, indicating that for this pathogen the proportion of positive results from NS and NPS could not be considered comparable to TTW.This study provides guidance for veterinarians selecting diagnostic tests for antemortem identification of pathogens associated with BRD.

  • agreement of nasal swabs guarded nasopharyngeal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage relative to transtracheal wash for the diagnosis of viral and bacterial pathogens in Dairy Calves with bovine respiratory disease
    American Association of Bovine Practitioners Proceedings of the Annual Conference, 2015
    Co-Authors: D J Doyle, Terry W Lehenbauer, Brent C Credille, Roy D Berghaus, Amelia R Woolums, Sharif S Aly
    Abstract:

    Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is common in Dairy Calves, with 21.3% of mortality in preweaned Calves and 50.4% of mortality in weaned heifers attributed to BRD (USDA NAHMS, 2002). Four sampling methods are used for antemortem identification of respiratory pathogens: the nasal swab (NS), guarded nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), transtracheal wash (TTW), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Each method has advantages and disadvantages. The TTW bypasses contamination from the nasopharynx, but the procedure is invasive and requires technical skill. The BAL and TTW directly sample the lower airways, but BAL, NS, and NPS can be contaminated by nasopharyngeal flora. Compared to NS, NPS provides a guarded sample of the pharyngeal recess, which maybe more representative of BRD pathogens. To our knowledge, no published study has compared the results of all four of these methods in cattle with clinical BRD. The objective of this study was to compare the agreement of results obtained by NS, NPS, or BAL with those obtained by TTW for isolation of BRD pathogens in Dairy Calves with acute undifferentiated BRD.